Chocolate Chip Cookies

I just made these yesterday from whatever nuts and seeds I could find! My new thing is making delicious foods with whatever I can find...you can add or leave out anything you like. Make sure you don't eat all the the cookie dough- you could though without feeling bad(-:






Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup Oats
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Almonds
1 cup Dates
1 tbsp unrefined Coconut Oil
1tbsp Vanilla
Unsweetened Chocolate Chips ( just cut unsweetened baking chocolate in little pieces)-and use as much as you like

Process oats, almonds and sunflower seeds in food processor.
Add dates, vanilla and coconut oil.You might have to add a little bit of water until it sticks together.
Fold in chocolate chips at the end-but don't process them just mix them with your hands.
Shape into cookies and set in fridge. You can also freeze them!
Or just eat the dough straight out of the bowl!!

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Lemon Ice Box Cookies

I have been eating these little refreshing treats right out of the freezer, ice cold and delish!!


 

Ingredients

1 cup oats
1 cup cashews
1 cup dates
Juice of one small organic lemon
Zest of 2 lemons
Unsweetened coconut(optional)

Process everything in a food processor until it sticks together, you might want to add some water.
Stick in freezer and voila enjoy anytime you feel like a little healthy treat.

Stay COOL!

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Raw Vegan Stuffed Peppers

Happy Friday!

I love raw dishes and this is one of my favorites. The taco nut meat makes this dish super yummy and flavorful, while the red pepper contains tons of Vitamin C. Peppers are one of the best sources of Vitamin C but make sure you use red, orange or yellow ones, because the green ones are not ripe yet!

-2 red peppers

-1 avocado

-2 tbsp cilantro

-juice of half a lime

-salt and pepper

-1/2 cup walnuts

-1/2- 1 tsp Braggs

-1/8 cup fresh corn

-1/8 cup fresh salsa or store bought fresh salsa

-1/2 cup tomatoes

-1/2 cup sprouts

Cut the top of the pepper off and take out any seeds.

Prepare the avocado, cilantro,lemon juice salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth.Set aside.

Put walnuts and Braggs in food processor and pulse a few times until it looks like ground meat.

Layer and stuff pepper with corn, nut meat, guacamole, tomatoes, salsa and at last the sprouts.

The peppers will be stuffed and ready to eat.This is a meal full of nutrients and enzymes. Almost as nutritious as the green smoothie (-;

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Mindful Eating

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Do u wanna know the NR. 1 trick to lose weight? Do you wanna feel sexy, get rid of a few pounds or just hate the dieting cycle? Here is the trick that will change your life, your body, your attitude and you will be a brand new person!!!

Do I sound like a late night TV commercial?
I know, just had to be a little silly.




 Now,lets get a little serious.

How many of you are desperately starting to lose weight and they last exactly until noon?
Are u on a constant diet and after you had the cookie you just blew it and went straight back to your old habits.
Or lets come the weekend, ladies night, a couple of cocktails and you feel like you just awakened a raging monster inside of you that wants to gorge on nothing more than fries, tortilla chips and of course chocolate cake.
The next day you tell yourself you will never eat again and swear you will only drink water, lemon juice and syrup for the rest of your life.

We women are a mess when it comes to food. No matter what we do, we can't seem to win the food fight! We are happy-we eat! We are sad-we eat!We are bored-we eat! We worked out- we eat!
Lets just be honest, there is always a reason for us to eat, every day, all day 24/7!!!

If we use all the energy and thoughts we have about food and invest it in something that really matters, ladies we could change the world!

So here is my Tip, that I personally found will make a huge difference in your eating habits.

Eat and think!!!

Eat when you are hungry and for no other reason!

Cook yourself a beautiful meal and savor every bite. Smell it, look at it, really taste the flavor.
Chew it at least 20 times if not more, and after you swallowed it listen to your body and see how it makes you feel. Does it make you feel light, gives you energy or do you feel heavy and sluggish?

Put down the fork and take a break, how full are you? Do you really need to consume everything that is on your plate? You shouldn't feel stuffed, just satisfied.

Don't have any distractions while you eat, no TV, radio, book or anything else that makes it hard for you to focus on your meal. Eat slowly, don't just mindless stuff your face.

If you prepared yourself a tasty meal, remember how much love you put into it. Where do the ingredients come from and how they will heal and nourish your body.
There is not much love in a frozen pizza!

We always overeat, that is why we gain weight. We think we deserve the cookie or reward ourselves with food but ruin our health. We stuff our feelings, so we don't have to deal with them, but this to shall pass. We have to learn to cope with uncomfortable feelings. Food is not the answer. Sure it is easy, but it doesn't solve the problem. It just makes us feel guilty.

Even if you eat a a double fudge brownie! Savor it, enjoy every bite, listen to how it makes you feel.
Always ask yourself why you want to eat the burger or the peanut butter cups? Is it a reward, are you bored or stressed?

We all have to learn that food is not our enemy, it is there to nourish us and it is fun and yes on special occasions it is there for celebration but it should never be an excuse or replacement for human connection and self love.

One more thing, throw out the scale!!! It is just a stupid number on the scale that doesn't define you.

Love, Cookies and Just Live

Jen

Be a People Builder

Ever thought about how harmful your words can be! One little harsh word or action can influence a person tremendously. Nobody likes to get criticized, you don't wanna be the victim of gossip. Gossip hurts and the tongue is a harsh tool.

What is we just all love each other!!!

How about the next time a friend or co-worker seems to have a rough day, you just tell them what a great job they are doing or what an amazing mom they are. Be a people builder, don't tear them down even more. Listen to what they have to say, give them a big hug and tell them that you love them.

If your spouse is stressed instead of making things worse, encourage him and tell him how proud you are of everything he has and will do in his life. Sugar always works better than salt!
It is easy to criticize, it is easy to moan and blow up, but it takes a big, whole person to swallow your pride and turn a shaky situation into a sunny one. Don't ruin your night over little things that don't matter.


 

Don't gossip, don't be in other peoples business. Your harsh words are dangerous and can do damage, you don't even know about and God will always remember if you don't change the way you treat your neighbour.
People that talk smack about others, are just very unhappy with their lives. Gossiping is jealousy!

How about we take all the energy we use for gossiping and use it to build people up. How about we are truly happy if other people are doing good, how about we give encouragement and offer our help if our brothers and sisters are in a dark place. Amazing things will happen if we are people builders!

You don't walk in someone else's shoes, you don't know what they are going through, why they act the way they act. How about you ask and listen before you open your mouth and judge!

Don't surround yourself with negative nay sayers and haters! Don't be in that environment, walk away from it, God will provide you with the right friends and people in your life, if you walk away from the wrong ones. People that love you will encourage you and will lift you up, wanting you to be better.

If you catch yourself talking bad, pray ask for forgiveness and be better. Be a blessing, stay busy building your own magical and beautiful life, that way you have no time to even worry about miserable gossip girls!!

Love and Cookies

Jen

Best Pesto Pasta of my Life

I am usually not a huge pasta fan and ever since I am eating a plant based diet, I felt like the only option is pasta with marinara! Was I wrong and so happy when this pesto pasta recipe turned out divine, rich, delicious and so filling. It is not just delicious but the sauce is done in 5 min and is cheese free!



1 pound whole grain or gluten free pasta of your choice

1 bunch fresh basil
1/2 cup cashews or pine nuts
2 avocados
2tbsp lemon juice
3 gloves garlic
1/4- 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta for 15 min or until al dente.

Process all the other ingredients ( besides the tomatoes) in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you want to use less oil just substitute half the oil with water. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Toss the sauce over the warm pasta and add sun dried tomatoes or any other vegetable that you might like.

Enjoy

Love and Cookies

Jen

Stuffed Avocado Salsa Potato Skins

Happy Valentines Day Week! I am gonna love myself and treat myself to things that make me happy, just because you are not in a relationship doesn't mean you cannot celebrate Love and yourself.
I am in love with my new big kitchen and the cookbook from Chloe Coscarelli.
She is such a vibrant vegan beauty and her recipes are super easy and comforting.

 





Stuffed Avocado Salsa Potato Skins

 
4 potatoes
2  small avocados                                                                      
2 tomatoes
1/4 cup salsa
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400
Cut the potatoes in half and bake for 45 min or until soft.
Meanwhile chop the tomatoes and avocado in little pieces.
Mix carefully in bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
Remove potatoes from oven and let cool down.
Scoop out the inside from the potato and store for future use.
Fill the potato skins with the avocado salsa and serve slightly warm.

And yes that is beer in the background. I am a German girl, we love our beer!
Vegan potato skins+beer = LOVE


Love and Cookies

Jen

Hearty, cold weather breakfast

This morning I really felt like eating something hearty and comforting for breakfast. I didn't want a smoothie, I didn't feel like oatmeal or cereal, so I came up with this quick and easy Mexican inspired breakfast or lunch meal.


Ingredients
2 small slices of whole wheat sourdough bread

1/4 cup black beans
1tsp onion, chopped
half a handful of corn
2 tbsp salsa
2 slices avocado
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Toast the bread until crispy and set aside
Sautee the onions in water until slightly browned
Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the onions
Add corn and heat everything through
Put bean mixture on bread and top with salsa, avocado and salt and pepper

Bon Appetit

Love and Cookies

Jen

Sugar!!!!

Sugar- sweet, delicious, evil friend. A delightful minute on the tongue in exchange for what feels like a lifetime on the hips. But weight gain isn't the only think of eating too much sugar!

Over consumption of processed sugar can contribute to a number of conditions, including tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, hormonal imbalances, overgrowth of candida yeast, chronic fatigue, more severe PMS symptoms, anxiety and even wrinkles. On the other hand, if you start to cut sugar out of your diet, you can shed excess weight, increase your energy, improve your concentration, improve your moods, and possibly steer clear of diabetes. To help you out, I'll let you in on some reasons why we get addicted, and how to read food labels for hidden sugars. I'll also give you some tips on how to start your sugar detox so you'll have a much better chance at living a long, vibrant, and disease-free life.
 
 Say No to processed Sugar!


Sweets trigger an increase in the hormone serotonin—a mood-elevating hormone. The body and brain get used to this higher level of serotonin and even depend on it for a sense of feeling good. So when our serotonin level dips, we wanna kill the donut. Candy also trigger the release of endorphins, the brain's natural narcotics, helping you to relax when stressed.
Ever noticed that you get ''high'' when u had a dose of sugar, that is caused by a rapid spike in your blood sugar, after a while you just feel like taking a nap and the only way to avoid that is to eat some more of the white sweet stuff. Sugar takes away more energy than it gives. Eventually, you find yourself exhausted, anxious, and moody. Yes, I eat way too much sugar and I cannot stand the way I feel after.

You not only gain pounds, but sugar also has some serious side effects.

Suppresses the immune system's defenses against bacterial infections
Increases the risk of blood clots and strokes
Contributes to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating
Can lead to hypoglycemia, kidney damage, an elevation in harmful cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and tooth decay
Helps speed the aging process, including wrinkles and gray hair


So how do we get rid of the sugary cravings!?
The first step in breaking a sugar addiction is making the decision to stop eating it completely for at least a few days to start to get it out of your system. While it's usually best to make dietary changes gradually, sugar has the unique ability to inspire cravings that are refueled every time you give in to them. The only way to break the cycle is to stop feeding the sweet monster in you. Then the cravings will fade.. Continue to resist large amounts of sugar and actively avoid situations that cue you to eat sweets. Don't buy ice cream, candy and cookie, don't have it in your house.You know you cannot resist it, so don't buy it.

Are you eating out of habit? Because of circumstance? For a special occasion? Because everyone else is? Journaling can be helpful preparation for stomping out your sugar habit by making you aware of why you're eating it.

 
 Say Yes to Fruit!


For thousands of years, people ate whatever sugar occurred naturally in their diets, and it didn't seem to be a problem, it was a treat. The typical American now eats the equivalent of about 31 teaspoons of added sugar every day. Our bodies simply weren't designed to handle this massive load. The American Heart Association recommends that added sugar should be limited to no more than 6 to 7 percent of your total calories. Cut out foods with sugar, white flour, and high fructose corn syrup—including cakes, cookies, pastries, and most desserts. It's okay to have a dessert or sugary snack on occasion, but make sure it's not your main dish. Although sugar is generally found in desserts, added sugar can also be found in your main and side dishes, and even sauces. Look closely at the labels of processed foods, cereals, and sauces—like ketchup, barbecue sauce, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, and dressings. 


These sugar substitutes are all still sugar!

• Agave nectar/syrup
• Cane juice crystals
• Cane sugar
• Caramel
• Corn syrup
• Corn syrup solids
• Carob syrup
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate (apple, grape, or pear)
• Galactose
• Glucose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Malt syrup
• Molasses
• Sorbitol
• Sucrose

Trick your taste buds. Using spices and herbs can trick your taste buds into thinking you're eating something sinfully sweet. Try adding cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, or other sugar-free flavors and spices to your coffee, cereals, or other dishes and drinks that could use an extra kick.

Eat a healthy breakfast. What you eat for breakfast will actually influence your food choices for the next 12 to 15 hours,and influence your energy levels, moods, and overall sense of well-being.  Typically, your blood sugar is at fasting levels when you wake up in the morning. If you start the day off with a muffin and a latte, you're choosing to ride the roller coaster for the rest of the day. If, on the other hand, you begin your day with a tofu omelet and fruit or some oatmeal, you're opting for a balance of foods that will be absorbed at a slower rate. Then you'll have a steadier flow of blood sugar that's far easier to keep balanced than if it were fueled by a muffin, a bagel, or a cup of coffee dosed with sugar and cream.

Eat throughout the day. The best way to avoid impulse eating when you're overly hungry is to eat several small meals, spaced throughout the day. This will keep your blood sugar more stable than eating the traditional two or three large meals spaced farther apart from one another. Schedule your meals around your body's needs rather than around your to-do list if you can. You'll find it much easier to stop eating once you're full; to make smart food choices from a rational, calm place; and to maintain even moods and energy levels. Eating balanced meals is essential for getting real satisfaction from what you eat and leaving cravings behind.
High-fiber foods fill you up—yet they bring less fat to the table.Plus eating high-fiber foods allows you to eat a higher volume of food while ingesting fewer calories. Some examples of energy-dense foods are: apples and bananas, avocados, flax meal, and kidney beans.

Happy Sugar Detox

Love and Cookies

Jen

Easy-Peasy Vegan Potato Salad

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

Just made this super easy vegan potato salad. I will top it of with some veg barbecue wings and I am ready to go to my friends super bowl party and indulge in cruelty free junk food.
Go Bears, awww too bad they were out a long time ago, I guess lets vote for the 49ers then.

You all have fun and be save.


Easy-peasy Vegan Potato Salad

5-7 potatoes ( medium size)
1/2 onion chopped
4 stalks organic celery
1/2 cup veganaise
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
2tbsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes until soft, drain and set aside.
Chop celery and onions.

Mix the veganaise with vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.

Add all the ingredients together in a big bowl and let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.


Love and Cookies

Jen

LOVE,LOVE,LOVE

Look at who you really are, the authentic, true you. If no one else accepts you for who you truly are, at least you accept yourself. That is all you need, because, in the end, you are born alone and will die alone. There is no need to try to improve yourself to other people, but improve for yourself. We frustrate ourselves when we try to prove to others that we are deserving of their attention, love, kindness and respect. This is when we start compromising and adapting to our illusory patterns of ourselves. Instead simply say, This is who I am. Like me and respect me because I know myself. I honor myself and everyone else.

-Gary Null-





Powerful words and so true. Have you ever tried to be somebody else just because someone didn't accept the real you. Ever tried to change because you feel like you didn't quiet fit in?!
You know what, screw them, screw other people. Who actually says what is right or wrong?
Why are people so hung up on the typical American dream. Go to college, make money, get married, buy a big house. two cars and live happily ever after... Don't we all wanna live that dream? Not really!
People are more depressed than ever, 1 out of 10 Americans shows signs of depression. More than 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce, more than 42 percent of people are obese in this country and all over the western civilization.

What would you do if you had no fear and would just follow your heart. What if you would really listen to your inner voice and what it tells you, without any doubts or the little voice in your head telling you that you can't do it.
Maybe your goal is not to get rich and get married.!
Maybe you want to just be you and see where life takes you and live in the moment.
Why do people always wait for tomorrow or later until they can lose weight, go travel, find love or whatever else they think would make their lives perfect.How much time do we really waste just waiting for a better life.

Your life is now, you live now and you are perfect exactly as you are, right now.
We should constantly try to improve ourselves, just be a nice girl or a nice guy, treat people with respect and love, because at the end of the day, we are all equal, we are all the same. Just because you are richer or more beautiful doesn't make you anything special.
Your heart and your soul is what counts. That is who you are!!

Stop comparing yourself to the life of the rich, famous or people that seem to have it all. Because you know what, most of the time, they don't have it all. What goes on behind closed doors is sometimes far worse than you would have ever thought. You know when someone is truly happy and when someone is just pretending.

Wake up, we really do only live once, just in case nobody ever told you yet, your house, car, clothes, shoes and jewelry won't make you a happy person. And it doesn't define you neither.
I mean why do we all waste our times on jobs and in relationships that we can't stand. Because it is convenient, because it pays the bills. Really!? Pretty bad, isn't it. When you are 90 and you are in your rocking chair, what do you want to look back on! Do you really wanna have regrets.

So sad that in today's world we rather work to pay off a big mortgage, three cars and spend money on junk foods instead of spending time with our kids or just truly living. Who needs all that material crap!!! Ever shopped at thrift stores, they are pretty awesome and support a good cause 2.

For the people that still don't believe that it does matter what you eat. Do you really think that eating chemicals won't affect you. Do you think eating foods that have ingredients like bleach, wash detergent and many other scary additives won't have an affect on your mood. Are you not worth it to eat the best possible foods?! I think you are. enjoy your chocolate, but let it a good one not one that taste like it has been on the shelf for the last 5 years( Hershey's yuck!!).

It all comes back to loving yourself. If you truly, blissfully and honestly love yourself everything else will fall into place. You won't deal with people that treat you like crap. When you love you, you will give love to other people. When you love you, you will treat your body like it is your temple and not a garbage disposal, because you know you are worth it. You will go for your dreams, you will travel, open up your business, start a non-profit organisation, lose weight, exercise or leave the full of shit relationship you wasted to much time on already. You will always be a better mom, friend, wife, sister or daughter if you love yourself. The same goes for the guys by the way!!

Love doesn't need binge eating, alcohol, cigarettes, coffee or drugs to thrive. It just needs nurturing and acceptance. Your acceptance!





Love Tips


1.Begin your day with love (not technology). Remind yourself of your worthiness before getting out of bed. Breathe in love and breathe out love. Enfold yourself in light. Saturate your being in love.

 2. Take time to relax( meditate) and journal. Spend time focusing inward daily. Begin with 5 minutes of breathing and 5 minutes of journaling each morning. 

3. Talk yourself happy. Use affirmations to train your mind to become more positive Put a wrist band on your right wrist. When you’re participating in self-abuse of any form, move the band to your left wrist.

4. Get emotionally honest. Let of go of numbing your feelings. Shopping, eating, and drinking are examples of avoiding discomfort, sadness, and pain. Mindfully breathe your way through your feelings and emotions.

5. Expand your interests. Try something new. Learn a language. Go places you’ve never been. Do things you haven’t done before. You have a right to an awesome life.

6. Enjoy life enhancing activities. Find exercise you like. Discover real, healthy foods that are good for you. Turn off technology for a day and spend time doing things that make you feel alive.

7. Become willing to surrender. Breathe, relax, and let go. You can never see the whole picture. You don’t know what anything is for. Stop fighting against yourself by thinking and desiring people and events in your life should be different. God has a plan, just be excited and enjoy the journey.

8. Work on personal and spiritual development. Be willing to surrender and grow. Life is a journey. We are here to learn and love on a deeper level. Take penguin steps and life becomes difficult. One step at a time is enough to proceed forward.

9. Own your potential. Love yourself enough to believe in the limitless opportunities available to you. Take action and create a beautiful life for yourself.

10. Be patient with yourself. Let go of urgency and fear. Relax and transform striving into thriving. Trust in yourself, do good work, and the Universe will reward you.

11. Live in appreciation. Train your mind to be grateful. Appreciate your talents, beauty, and brilliance. Love your imperfect perfect self.

12. Be guided by your intuition. All answers come from within. Look for signs and pay attention to your gut feelings. You’ll hear two inner voices when you need to make a decision. The quiet voice is your higher self; the loud voice is your ego. Always go with the quieter voice.

13. Do what honors and respects you. Don’t participate in activities that bring you down. Don’t allow toxic people in your life. Love everyone, but be discerning on who you allow into your life.

14. Let the past go. Suffering comes from living in the pain of the past or the fear of the future. Put your attention on the present moment and be at peace.

15. Forgive yourself. Learn from your mistakes and go forward. The past is done and you can't change it. Move on.

16. Discover the power of fun. Self-love requires time to relax, play, and create face-to-face interaction with others. Our fast-paced world creates a goal setting, competitive craziness that doesn’t leave room for play. So go play and be a kid again. Who cares what other people think.

17. Be real. Speak up and speak out. Allow yourself to be seen, known, and heard. Get comfortable with intimacy. 

18. Focus on the positive. Go to your heart and dwell on and praise yourself for what you get right in all areas.

19. Become aware of self neglect and rejection. Become conscious of your choices. Ask yourself several times throughout the day, “Does this choice honor me?”

20. Imagine what your life would look like if you believed in your worth. Dedicate your life to loving you. Make it your main event.

21. Seek professional help. Self-rejection and neglect is painful. You deserve to be happy. You have a right to be accepted and loved. If necessary, seek help from a support group, counselor, or coach. It’s the best investment you can make.


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Curry Sweet Potato Skins

I am in love with this recipe. The curry sauce is from Trader Joe's but you can also make your own if you prefer. I don't like sweet potatoes the traditional way, with sugar, butter and cinnamon, so this savory dish is right up my alley and sweet potatoes have amazing health benefits like:


1.  They are high in vitamin B6.  Vitamin B6 helps reduce the chemical homocysteine in our bodies.  Homocysteine has been linked with degenerative diseases, including the prevention of heart attacks.

2. They are a good source of vitamin C.  While most people know that vitamin C is important to help ward off cold and flu viruses, few people are aware that this crucial vitamin plays an important role in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation. It helps accelerate wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s youthful elasticity, and is essen­tial to helping us cope with stress. It even appears to help protect our body against toxins that may be linked to cancer.

3.  They contain Vitamin D which is critical for immune system and overall health at this time of year.  Both a vitamin and a hormone, vitamin D is primarily made in our bodies as a result of getting adequate sunlight. You may have heard about seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, as it is also called), which is linked to inadequate sunlight and therefore a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays an important role in our energy levels, moods, and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin, and teeth, and it supports the thyroid gland.

4.  Sweet potatoes contain iron. Most people are aware that we need the mineral iron to have adequate energy, but iron plays other important roles in our body, including red and white blood cell production, resistance to stress, proper im­mune functioning, and the metabolizing of protein, among other things.

5.  Sweet potatoes are a good source of mag­nesium, which is the relaxation and anti-stress mineral. Magnesium is necessary for healthy artery, blood, bone, heart, muscle, and nerve function, yet experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of the popula­tion in North America may be deficient in this important mineral.

Recipe

Curry Sweet Potato Skins

2 large sweet potatoes

1/2 cup peas

3 tomatoes, chopped

1/8 cup onions or less, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 jar Trader Joe's Curry Simmer Sauce

Preheat oven to 375

Bake sweet potatoes in oven for about 45min or until soft.

Set aside to cool.

Saute onions for about 4 min, add tomatoes, bell peppers and peas.

Add curry sauce to mixture and let simmer for about 3-4min. Remove from heat

After sweet potatoes have cooled down, scoop out the inner sweet potato, leaving nothing but the skin.

Mash sweet potatoes in a bowl and  add curry mixture.

Fill potato skins with mixture and put back in oven for about 15-20 min.

Serve hot.

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Just Live a Little...

Happy Fall, I guess Summer is officially over.

I gotta say, I never paid so much attention to the beautiful colors of fall, the changing leaves and trees are sparkling in the sunshine and right now the weather in Chicago is perfect. I don't even mind the fall and that comes from a girl who loves 90 degree weather.

It is weird how many things changed for me in a year, last year around this time I was at a totally different stage in my life. 2012 is the first year I really realized what I want, what I love, who I am and that I actually have dreams that I can achieve.

Everything really happens for a reason! You gotta take life as it is and always be the best you can be, never make excuses and never have any regrets. You learn from your mistakes, just be better, a little better every day.


So when I say you gotta live a little, it is specific towards everyone who beat themselves up over stupid things that don't matter. Life is really to short, we are all getting older and time goes by so fast, we have to stop waisting our time with bullshit.
So what is bullshit?!

A bad relationship, a partner that doesn't treat you how you deserve to be treated.
A friend that is only there when he or she needs something, that is constantly complaining or always brings you in bad situations. Can't stand the drama anymore. Whatever the bullshit is in your life, get rid of it or change it!

Food can be bullshit too, especially if it has control over your life. You know how I am all about eating healthy and my vegan diet will never change. I believe that a plant based diet can save a lot of lives, it saves the animals, the planet and it makes you feel amazing.
But I am done being super restrictive on the way I eat. If I am out with friends and I wanna have a bite of some chocolate dessert, I will go for it, even if it contains dairy. And if there is a cookie that is full of sugar and maybe even egg I will still eat it sometimes.
Why?! Because it keeps me sane.
I have been fighting with this for a long time, and I am tired of beating myself up, if I eat something that is not vegan or perfectly healthy I will still be fine. Life is so short and it no fun if we get obsessed with the way we eat.

Yeah I might never have a six pack or I might never be a 100 % raw vegan nor vegan, but you know what  I don't care anymore, because it works for me. I would love the world to be vegan, but it is not and will never be, at least not in my lifetime. So as of right now, I still live in the real world, where we are surrounded by meat, dairy and eggs, sugar and lots of processed foods. Instead of me going crazy I just have a bite and that's that!

I will never go back to the way I used to eat, there is no way I could ever eat a SAD diet again, it is a big part of my life, it is what I do and who I am. It is one of my core believes, but I have friends and family that don't believe in the way I eat, but I love them more than anything. It is really hard for me to connect with some "Vegans". Don't get me wrong, I think it is amazing everything vegans do, just for the animals sake, but you know what though- I am not a hippie and I love fashion and make-up, traveling, movies and motorcycles, I love to dance all night long and get tipsy every once in a while.
Because you just gotta live a little! I can't change who I am and what I like, because of the way I eat.
My lifestyle alone won't keep me healthy-my happiness combined with beautiful plant foods will.

Just do whatever works for you, whatever diet, whatever lifestyle, your relationship, your life!
But be completely honest with yourself, listen to your thoughts and to your body. How does it make you feel, do you feel healthy, happy, at peace? Don't listen to anyone but yourself, take advice from trusted sources, I sure did and I will be forever thankful!

Our society has stupid standard on lifestyle and happiness, jobs, money, cars and houses. It doesn't matter what you do, who your with or not with, how old, small, big, rich or poor you are,all that matters is that YOU ARE HAPPY!!!
If you don't have your happiness, you have nothing.
Health is part of it, friends are, family is and love is. Money will never make you happy. Whatever makes you happy, find it and never let it go!!!

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Almost Raw Granola Recipe

Just made this granola recipe for the farmers market. It is super easy to make and way more nutritious than the sugary version from the store.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

2 cups oats
3/4 cups almonds
3/4 cups cashews
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1tbsp cinnamon
1tsp salt
4-5 large dates, chopped
2tbsp coconut oil

Chop nuts into pieces or grind in food processor. Mix with all other ingredients until it all sticks together. Oil baking sheet with one tbsp coconut oil and bake at 200 degrees for about 40min.
Let it cool and serve with almond milk and fresh berries!

Yum I am excited for breakfast.

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Easy Black Bean Salad

 

This salad is super filling, full of fiber, protein and can be made in a pinch. You can use fresh soaked and cooked beans or the canned ones, just make sure you rinse them well. Please use organic corn, conventional corn will be genetically modified.
I made it for a party the other day and everybody loved it. I have to thank Corina for the recipe, I just tweaked it a little. Go eat your beans!!



Black Bean Salad

 Ingredients:
 2 cups cooked black beans
1 1/2 cups organic corn
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, diced
3 tomatoes, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the beans, corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion and cilantro and gently toss. Whisk together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the beans mixture and gently stir to combine. Top with avocado. Chill for at least an hour to allow flavors to mingle.

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Eating

I watched the documentary ''Eating'' the other day. Very informative and should be an absolute must see for every one, actually I think it should be the law to show it in schools, should be a part of our children's education.

Our government guidelines are ridiculous, our food pyramid is retarded. America trusts the government, they trust their doctors, they trust people they hear and see on TV. When it comes to nutrition, don't trust anyone but yourself! Do your own research and please use your big brain. Think, use common sense.


The ''disease prevention'' pyramid


Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Diseases were almost non existing until the 1900. Everything started with processed foods and a diet high in animal protein . And even then, these diseases were found among rich people, that could afford meat and 'foods' that was produced in a factory. Clogged arteries are already developing in school children nowadays and people still wanna tell me, that it has nothing to do with the way we eat!!

You are brainwashed that you need meat and dairy, freaking brainwashed! Yes, our ancestors were hunters and they did kill and eat animals, but maybe once or twice a year. Not for breakfast, lunch and dinner...but were do you get your protein!!! Did you ever hear of a protein deficiency? No, me neither! You have to be very undernourished and starving to be ''low on amino acids''. Protein is build from amino acids, and 9 of them are essential, meaning you have to get them through your food. There is so much protein in plants, that you will never have a problem meeting your daily requirements and it is also easier to break down and digest. Just because the chicken breast says 20g of protein, doesn't mean you will absorb it.
 



Cholesterol is in animal products and only in animal products, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, stop eating animal! Fish and chicken are not better choices. Chicken breast contains 126 mg of cholesterol in a medium serving, salmon 116 mg and beef 127 mg. Not really a big difference. BTW where do you think does the salmon gets its omega 3's from? The sea vegetables the fish consumes. You are better of eating nori, dulse, flax, chia seeds and walnuts and you don't have to worry about high mercury and toxic waste poison.

Animal products are literally killing thousands of Americans and other populations around the world. I guess that is the way the animals fight back. We torture and kill them and in return they kill us! How ironic!How can you eat animals and call yourself an animal lover. Who says that your pets life is worth more than the pig you eat? I am sure you wouldn't eat your dog, well people in China do and in India a cow is a holy animal that cannot be harmed. Animals are highly intelligent creatures, they give us their trust and we break it, over and over again.




When people adopt animal-based diets, heart disease and cancers suddenly become peoples biggest killers.It is happening all over the world, in countries like China and Japan where people used to thrive on a plant based diet. When they are replacing their rice and veggies with Mc Donald's diseases are spreading like wildfires.

Animal based diets deprive the body of oxygen. Deprive the heart of oxygen-you will get a heart attack. Deprive the brain of oxygen-you get a stroke.Deprive the blood of oxygen-you will get cancer.

Heart disease, diabetes and cancer are preventable. We don't need a cure, we need prevention. Every adult has cancer cells in his body, at sometime in their life. There is nothing we can do about it, but we can do something about how our immune system reacts to it! Our immune system is our cure for cancer. If the storm comes and it will, what will your house be made out off? Our immune system is a fighter, just how it can fight off a cold it can fight off cancer cells, but you have to provide it with strong building blocks. Green leafy vegetables, fruits, veggie juices, legumes and grains are gonna make you strong and turn your immune system into a fighting machine. The cure for cancer is strengthening your immune system by changing to a plant based diet. Your medicine is found in your grocery store, garden and farmers market.

Raising animals for food, kills and destroys our environment. Would you ever open your refrigerator, pull out 16 plates of pasta, toss 15 in the trash, and then eat just one plate of food? How about leveling 55 square feet of rain forest for a single meal or dumping 2,400 gallons of water down the drain? Of course you wouldn't. But if you're eating chicken, fish, turkey, cow, milk or egg that's what you're doing—wasting resources and destroying our environment.

Stop being ignorant just because you love meat!!! If we want a future for our children, the way we eat needs to be changed.

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Brain over Binge

Happy Thursday everyone, hope you are all having a great week so far, enjoying life and the last sunny days in Chicago! I am sucking the sunshine in until the last one disappears for the next long couple of month.

I have been reading the book ''Brain over Binge'' by Kathryn Hansen. I thought I have a lot of knowledge, when it comes to the topic of bulimia, but I was impressed and very intrigued on how she looks at the vicious cycle of binging and purging.

 


Kathryn is a ''recovered'' bulimic herself and describes in detail her unconventional approach to recovery. She offers a very unconventional perspective to the canvas of eating disorders, meaning she doubts therapy and that binge eating and/or bulimia is more about self-control and free will.

When young girls and women develop and eating disorder,they are usually send to therapy.In conventional therapy, they are told that binging and purging has to do with deep issues. Experiences in their past or present that they haven't coped with. From the beginning on, eating disorder patients have to resolve their problems and emotional feelings to get in control of the disease.Eating until you are sugar drunk and purging because you feel guilty are signs that you want to shut out the real world and always have to do with deeper issues! Really?! Bulimia, Anorexia and other eating disorders are looked at as a disease. But is it really a disease? Do we really have no control over if we want to stuff ourselves until we feel sick and numb? Are our lives suddenly, magically improving and problems fade away, because we are not binge eating anymore?

I can speak from my own experience that sometimes you make excuses for binge eating! ''I had a tough day'', ''That idiot doesn't get me'', ''I am bored", ''It is OK to binge, as long as you get back on track''. The last statement is something you hear a lot in therapy. You will have setbacks, but it is important to keep on fighting.I get it, but for how many years are you supposed to have setbacks, how many excuses can you make?!
Just to be clear, I do not want to offend anyone, I know that struggling with an eating disorder is an awful, time and life consuming thing.
But do we really have no control!!!!!????

As Kathryn states in her book, most eating disorders start in teenage years, most of them are girls. Our society puts pressure on us, especially on young women, how to look a certain way, skinny equals perfect. We all know how influenced we can get when we are teenagers. For some it might be cigarettes, for some alcohol and for others it is the wish to be skinny. You probably just have to go into a class of High School students, and I can guaranty you, that a big topic under girls is diet and how to lose weight.

Maybe that is why bulimia and binge eating develops! When we starve our body, sooner or later our brain is gonna go crazy. Our brain and body doesn't know that we live in the time of food abundance, and that there is always plenty of it available. There is a part of our brain, the subcortex, the animal brain, that just wants to watch out for us. It is wired to tell you to get as much food as possible, if you starve yourself over a period of time. Meaning if you deprive yourself of food and nutrients, you will have the urge to binge tons of unhealthy, fatty, sugary foods. A long time ago, people sometimes stuffed themselves, because they didn't know when food would be available again. Today, at least in the western world, we do not have to worry about that! Your animal brain just wants to prevent you from starving.It is like a defense mechanism.

The human part of your brain, the prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that has the power. Free will, self-control and self-reliance . It has the power to control your actions. No matter what thoughts, feelings or cravings the animal brain generates automatically, the human brain can choose the action. Nobody forces you to binge! Just like nobody forces anybody to pull the trigger..

Is binge eating a habit? It might be, a very bad one too. Are you always binge eating in the same situations. When you are alone, bored, or when you are stressed.
Are these triggers just excuses to binge? Do you feel better after?

In therapy you learn that something is wrong with you, meaning you had a dysfunctional childhood, if you have an eating disorder I guess you could waste your whole life figuring out who to blame. I think we all had some issues growing up, some more some less. Our parents can only do their best. We cannot blame binge eating and bulimia on our parents, ex-lovers, friends or teachers. We have self control and if we forgot how to use it, it is time to get it back.

Like all habits, we have to relearn how to change them. But if we really separate ourselves from the part of our brain that wants to binge, because it is used to doing it for so many years, maybe bulimia is not a disease. A bulimic binges and if the binging is non existing, the purging will stop automatically. No binge, no purge, no bulimia! If we assure our animal brain, that there will always be enough to eat, maybe after a while it will trust us again and the urges will go away. I am not surprised our bodies and brains are so messed up, by the way we treat them.

I personally think, that Kathryn's book is a refreshing take on bulimia and binge eating. It is empowering, knowing that you and only you can change yourself for the better. You are in total control of yourself. Stop being a victim, stop trying to run away from your life. Your life is your responsibility and your choice!


Love and Cookies

Jennifer

A taste of Sweet-Cranberry Rice

I just made this dish from my new favorite book ''Clean Food''.
Finally a book that combines vegan cooked with raw foods, has gluten and soy free recipes and the best part..they are easy and quick to prepare. You do not need a million ingredients for one side dish.


A taste of Sweet-Cranberry Rice

1 cup wild rice, cooked
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
1 cup chopped mushrooms
3 stalks celery diced
2-3 tbsp red onions diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/8 cup fresh parsley
21 seasoning to taste
Salt to taste 

You can either saute the onions in water or use a little bit of coconut oil. Saute onions over medium heat for about 3min or until translucent. Add celery, mushrooms and spices. Cook for another 3min.
Add rice, parsley and cranberries, cook until heated through. Toss in bowl, stir everything together and add almonds. Adjust seasoning to liking. Serve as a side or main dish with a green salad.

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Sweet as Sugar Chocolate Pie

So this is one of these recipes that should be made for special occasions. It is not healthy or nourishing (well maybe a little)  but it is heavenly, amazingly delicious and worth a sugar hangover. For all of you who can not bake, you cannot mess up this ''no bake'' pie.


Sweet as Sugar Chocolate Pie

 

Crust
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup almonds or walnuts
1 cup dates

Process all ingredients in food processor until it all sticks together.
Press into a spring pan and set aside.

Filling
1 container organic silken or firm tofu, 12oz
1 cup dark (vegan) chocolate chips
2tbsp almond milk
1tbsp vanilla
Fruit of your choice

Preparation
Melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently to ensure the chocolate doesn't burn
Once the chocolate is melted, blend together silken tofu, chocolate and almond milk in food processor until smooth and creamy. Pour into pie crust and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour. Decorate with fruit of your choice, i like strawberries, raspberries and bananas.



Enjoy every bite

Love and Cookies

Jennifer

Why Milk Sucks!!!!

So once and for all, milk and dairy sucks! If you want to do something for your health and your children's well being, cut the white poison. You will be amazed what a huge difference it will make.

I listed a few reasons on why, once and for all you should skip the Moo-juice!!!

 

 

 

 

1. Cows are not milk machines. After years of living in filthy conditions, being kept constantly pregnant, and being forced to produce 10 times more milk than they naturally would, dairy cows are slaughtered.

 

2. "Moo" is not your first language. Human babies are not calves, so why treat them like it? Humans are the only animals who drink breast milk after infancy and the only animals who drink milk from a different species. It makes as much sense for people to drink cow's milk as it would for dogs to drink giraffe's milk!

 

 

4. Studies show that over 75 percent of the world's population is lactose-intolerant. Can you say abdominal cramps, bloating, and diarrhea? The reason for this, is a lack of the enzyme ‘lactase’ which is responsible for breaking down the lactose (a sugar in milk) in the digestive track.

 

5. Dairy is scary. There's more to that glass of milk than you think. Dairy products are commonly contaminated with blood, pus, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.

 

There's veal in your cereal. Milk fuels the cruel veal industry. Considered byproducts of the dairy industry, male calves are dragged away to veal crates when they are just hours old.

 

6. Milk is bad for your bones. Instead of preventing osteoporosis, milk is a big cause of it. Dairy is highly acidic and to bring your blood back into a alkaline or neutral balance, your body leeches calcium from your bones.

 

7. Milk does the planet bad. Bad for mother cows, milk production is also bad for Mother Earth; it's a disastrous source of water pollution. Just one dairy cow produces 120 pounds of waste every day—as much as two dozen people could produce—but with no toilets, sewers, or treatment plants.

 

8. The white stuff isn’t the right stuff. Milk is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of calves—who have four stomachs and gain an average of 115 kg in their first six months. It's crazy for humans to chug moo-juice, and you wonder why people are obese!!

 

9. No grain means lots of pain. Every glass of milk takes a meal away from the hungry. Crops that could be used to feed the hungry are instead used to feed dairy cows. It takes a huge amount of grain cycled through cows to produce a very small amount of milk.

 

10. If you haven't read the China Study yet, please put it on your ''must-read'' list. Devoid of fiber and complex carbohydrates but loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol, dairy products have been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

 

Have a beautiful and save Labor Day weekend

 

Love and Cookies

 

Jennifer